Del Fiorentino Memorial Highway proposal draws letter of support from county supervisors

All of Mendocino County is anxiously awaiting word on whether or not part of a local highway will be renamed after a slain local hero.

Last month, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted to support Assembly Concurrent Resolution 159 which would rename part of Highway 1 the Deputy Sheriff Ricky Del Fiorentino Memorial Highway between southbound milepost 62 and northbound milepost 65.

On July 8, the supervisors are expected to approve a letter from Mendocino County Board Chairman John Pinches that would be sent on to the State Capitol. The letter would indicates that the board "strongly supports" the resolution co-authored by California State Assembly member Wes Chesboro and Sen. Noreen Evans.

"Mendocino County would like to recognize the bravery, selflessness and sacrifice of Deputy Sheriff Ricky Del Fiorentino, who was killed in the line of duty on March 19, 2014," the letter states.

Del Fiorentino died during a search for the vehicle of an armed gunman who was on a crime spree from Eugene, Ore. When the deputy sheriff came up on the car near Fort Bragg, the gunman opened fire, fatally wounding him and ran off. The suspect later engaged in a shootout with other officers before being found dead of two gunshot wounds.

Del Fiorentino was a 26-year veteran of law enforcement, spending 10 years with the Fort Bragg Police Department and 16 years with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office during his career.